Orlando, FL Guitar Show - Jan. 28, 2008

Who is going this year? I'll be there Saturday (probably wearing my LPF t-shirt so I should be easy to spot). I'll bring my camera and will get lots of pics. Here's a link to last year's show pics I took (sorry but I'm not the best photographer)...

20th Anniversary Celebration - One of the nation's largest guitar shows, The Orlando Guitar and Music Expo has been an exciting annual event for 20 years. Held in Orlando Florida every year at the end of January, the Expo is attended by an international group of guitar dealers, buyers, traders, collectors, and players. Area attractions and fine Florida weather combine to make this show a popular destination for guitar enthusiasts and their families.

For those of you who have never been to one of these shows, here's some pics of last years show. It is a great place to play around on some cool gear. The posts about pricing is correct IMO but I'm sure there must be some deals to be had if you look hard enough.

I've got a virus and am sick in bed...sucks (as I'm still trying to recover from cellulitis) and so I won't be able to attend But I'm hoping somebody that goes can take lots of pictures and can post a full report.

Tungsten Amplification had a nice display of hand wired amps
ProBag had great looking gig bag assortment
A nice spread of high end acoustic flattops sprinkled throughout the show
A few new custom guitar builders represented
New TNT amp heads.
Beard Gold Tone Resonator represented. Nice guitars!
Very little loud wanking.
Very little mutton dressed as lamb....depends upon your preferences I suppose.

The Bad:

Very few local shops and builders represented
Virtually no arch-top guitars
Guitar prices.....take EBay Buy-it-Now prices and add 25-50%
Way too much modern used stuff priced at new retail prices
Way too much modern new stuff priced ABOVE retail list prices
Many big dealers from previous years did not attend
Not much in boutique amplification...not a lot of amplification.
Too many new Fender Custom Shop guitars priced at $5000+...do people really buy this stuff?
Not as many niche guitar brands represented...Eastmans, Duesenburg, National, etc..
I saw very few transactions of any kind.....not even the walk-ins were getting much action

The Ugly:

The surprise $5 fee to park in the wet grass/dirt parking lot
Dealers with lots of un-original 70's Fender stuff priced like it was the next big thing in collectables.....$2000 for a 70's Fender Strat with refinished body, replaced pickups and no case...yeah...right,